A rare coin from an important noble during the time of Philip II

[kirispupis]

Recently, this coin popped up from a person I was completely unaware of. Since he was so crucial to the history of Philip II and Alexander III, I prioritized acquiring it.

Macedon, Local Dynasts. Philotas
Circa 400-380 BCE
Æ 2.76g, 13mm, 10h
Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion-skin headdress
Eagle standing to right, head reverted on thunderbolt; ΦIΛΩ to right.
Wartenberg, Philotas 1 (O1/R1).
Ex Roma

 

Although we don't know the exact function Philotas himself played during Philip II's reign, he made a major impact through his two sons - both important generals in Philip's and Alexander's army.

Most well-known is his son Parmenion, who was the head general of Alexander's army. He often voiced caution during Alexander's progress through Asia, which per sources such as Arrian Alexander often disregarded.

Parmenion in turn had a son named Philotas, who was also an important general under Alexander. There are some indications that Philotas' position may have been due to Parmenion's support of Alexander as king after Philip was assassinated. Regardless, the relationship between Alexander and Philotas was often strained, and when it was revealed that Philotas had been aware of a plot to murder Alexander, and had never told him, Philotas was tortured and executed.

Aware that Parmenion would have a dim view of this move and was particularly dangerous with a large force in their rear, several assassins were directed to hurry to Parmenion and execute him, even though it was widely understood that he was innocent in the plot.

Going back to the Philotas above, he did have two other sons. They were demoted after the execution of Parmenion, but his son Asandros was a factor during the Wars of the Diadochi. The below coin was minted under him.

Kings of Macedon. Miletos. Alexander III "the Great"
Bronze AE 17 mm, 5,71 g
Minted 323-319 BCE under Asandros
Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, bow-in-bowcase and club; grain ear below.
Price 2102

 

[Kaleun96]

5 hours ago, kirispupis said:

Recently, this coin popped up from a person I was completely unaware of. Since he was so crucial to the history of Philip II and Alexander III, I prioritized acquiring it.

Macedon, Local Dynasts. Philotas
Circa 400-380 BCE
Æ 2.76g, 13mm, 10h
Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion-skin headdress
Eagle standing to right, head reverted on thunderbolt; ΦIΛΩ to right.
Wartenberg, Philotas 1 (O1/R1).
Ex Roma

Love seeing the Herakles portrait in that style on pre-Alexander coinage but doubly cool to see the eagle with turned head standing on a thunderbolt like we see on some early Alexander drachms from Macedonia as well. I don't think I was aware of this type specifically before but seems to be where the inspiration came from for those early Alexander drachms.

[kirispupis]

22 minutes ago, Kaleun96 said:

Love seeing the Herakles portrait in that style on pre-Alexander coinage but doubly cool to see the eagle with turned head standing on a thunderbolt like we see on some early Alexander drachms from Macedonia as well. I don't think I was aware of this type specifically before but seems to be where the inspiration came from for those early Alexander drachms.

I didn't think of that. For comparison, here is a triobol from Amyntas III. Now that you mention it, I wonder if Amyntas' coinage was inspired by this Philotas issue, though it doesn't have the thunderbolt. Maybe the thunderbolt was a symbol of Philotas' family, and Alexander placed it on his coins out of homage to Parmenion - whose support was vital early in Alexander's reign?

I tried to find a copy of Wartenberg's essay online, but wasn't able to.

Kingdom of Macedon, Amyntas III
Pella, circa 393-369 BCE
AR Triobol 1.71g, 13mm, 4h
Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress
Eagle standing to left, head to right; AMY-N-TA around; all within linear border within incuse square.
Westermark, Remarks pl. LXX, 33; SNG Alpha Bank 200-2; SNG ANS 94; HGC 3.1, 830 ('hemidrachm').
Ex J. Greiff Collection
Ex Roma

 

I don't have an early Alexander III drachm, though I do have one of his diobols, which had a similar design (but two eagles instead of one).

Alexander III 'the Great' AR Diobol
'Amphipolis', circa 336-323 BCE
Young head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, two eagles standing facing one another on thunderbolt.
Price 155; HGC 3.1, 906. 1.32g, 11mm, 3h.
Ex Roma